At the moment I'm reading Next Word, Better Word by Stephen Dobyns which gives an interesting and enlightening account of the process of poetry writing. Compared with other books it sits somewhere between the 'How to' beginners books and the 'High Brow' lit crit tomes.
I don't claim to understand every word in Next Word - on occasions I've read a paragraph three times and still haven't deciphered it's meaning - but I do feel as if this is the perfect book at the perfect time for me. Just a shame it's published on such cheap paper and with such a flimsy cover. It will take hardly any dunking in the bath - alas, a regular hazard for my books - to turn it to pulp.
The portfolio is in. For good or bad 'tis finished. Having substituted Rurik the Viking takes Torremelinos by Surprise for a poem titled The Interest in a Worm I can truthfully say that is is a unique (interpret that as you will) collection. God help the tutor who marks it.
I have also entered three poems for the Mslexia poetry competition (closing date 18 July). Of course I don't seriously consider that I have a pickle-in-a-Branston's chance of coming anywhere, but I have some half-decent poems and better to be out there doing something than sitting in a file.
For some time now I've been following Jen Hadfield's blog . Always beautiful and inspiring to read. Check it out if you get a chance.
Wow - good luck. Reckon I've not got much time to knock out a couple of odes myself so maybe next year eh? Quite fancy reigniting the rhyming lark myself .... Don't think I'll be snapped up by the establishment too quickly but it might be a giggle and good exercise for the coagulating jelly in my head.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're getting stuck in - hope you get something bouncing back! This is all good stuff innit?
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ReplyDeleteOk, rewriting that comment because it was full of typos...(my excuse, too early in the morning).
ReplyDeleteGo for it MSG! Looking forward to seeing a few cheery verses on your blog.
Thinking purely in terms of number of words and my appallingly short concentration span, I'm far more likely to complete a poem than, say, a novel.
I can't believe there are people out there dedicated enough to write 80,000 words. I'm guessing they pay for a cleaner.
Or just don't have children?
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